Decision on Mt. Pleasant Center looms for city

"In that legislation, the city of Mt. Pleasant is to be given first opportunity to purchase a piece or all of the 315 acres of the former Mt. Pleasant Center," City Manager Kathie Grinzinger said.

The city has 180 days to decide whether or not they want to purchase the land. That deadline is April 25.

Grinzinger suggests that the commission should have a final decision by no later than mid-March.

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A special work session was held Monday night by the city commissioners to discuss the the handling of the Mt. Pleasant Center.

Some issues that will have to be attacked in the next few months are the plan for reuse, the potential costs, projected timing and potential financing sources.

There are three main pieces of land to the Mt. Pleasant Center.

There is a small section of land that is a historic cemetery which is about 1.25 acres.

Next is an eight-acre strip that contains six buildings which were used as part of the Indian Industrial School complex.

The largest piece of land is 170 acres of woods and farmland, which is currently under lease.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe will have seniority in buying the cemetery and industrial school.

The price to purchase the land $1, plus the state's expenses in preparing the property to be conveyed. This includes appraisals, surveys, title work, and environmental assessments. Currently that estimate comes to $50,000.

If the entire property is purchased by the city, it will also have to pay for maintenance and holding costs.

"The maintenance or the holding costs would be about $125,000 a year," Grinzinger said. "This would include snow removal, mowing and security."

There are also second tier costs that would have to be paid for in order to ready the property for reuse.

Most of the buildings have asbestos and lead paint. Many of the site's buildings were on Michigan's 2005 Demolition List.

The cost to demolish the entire site and clean it up could cost around $4 million.

If Mt. Pleasant decides to purchase the property it will have to be used for public access.

The Mt. Pleasant Center was shutdown by the state in Oct. 2009.

Another work session will be held in the next few weeks to further discuss the property and the public is encouraged to share their ideas on the issue.